Rotary lawn mower with improved grass collector

Abstract

A grass collector for a rotary lawn mower may be moulded in thermoplastic and comprises a base wall, a pair of concentric annular walls upstanding therefrom. A grass inlet is located in the base between the annular walls, and a baffle wall to the rear of the inlet. Grass clippings entering the collector are directed by the walls in an annular flow path and are collected in the annular space between the walls. The collector overlays the deck of the mower and is contained substantially within the wheel base thereof, contributing to increased stability. Safety interlock means for a mower employing the collector are also disclosed.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: 
     
       1. In a lawn mower including means for collecting grass cuttings, said lawn mower having a deck including a skirt downwardly dependent therefrom to enclose a cutting chamber, an electric motor mounted on said deck, vertical drive shaft means drivingly interconnected with said motor, a cutting blade mounted on said drive shaft for rotary movement in said chamber, said deck having an opening therein for the egress of grass cuttings from said mower, said mower including wheel means located adjacent four corners of said deck to support said deck for movement across a ground surface, the improvement wherein said means for collecting grass cuttings comprises a grass collector mounted on said deck to lay substantially within the wheel base of said wheel means, said grass collector having a base, walls upstanding from said base including an outer annular wall, an annular inner wall spaced from said outer wall said inner wall forming a conduit for the passage of cooling air to said motor and a baffle wall interconnecting said outer and inner walls, at least said outer, inner walls and said base being constructed from an air directing material, said collector having an opening in the base thereof adapted to be connected to said deck opening and lid means enclosing the space between said inner and outer walls. 
     
     
       2. A lawn mower as defined in claim 1 wherein said grass collecting means includes a volute passage means to direct air and grass cuttings entering said grass collector in an upwardly inclined direction. 
     
     
       3. A lawn mower as defined in claim 2 wherein said passage means is formed in the base of said collector. 
     
     
       4. A lawn mower as defined in claim 2 wherein said passage means has an inverted U shaped radial cross section which increases in height towards an entry port formed in said grass collector. 
     
     
       5. A lawn mower as defined in claim 1 wherein entry to said grass collector is via a port located in the base thereof between said annular walls. 
     
     
       6. A lawn mower as defined in claim 5 wherein said baffle wall is located proximate to the rear of said entry port. 
     
     
       7. A lawn mower as defined in claim 6 wherein means is provided to exhaust air from said collector preferentially from a zone immediately behind said entry port. 
     
     
       8. A lawn mower as defined in claim 7 wherein said exhaust means includes louvres formed in said lid in said zone. 
     
     
       9. A lawn mower as defined in claim 1 wherein said grass collector is divided into two compartments, each compartment having an entry port and baffle wall, a baffle wall of a one compartment being located proximate to the rear of an adjacent entry port. 
     
     
       10. A lawn mower as defined in claim 9 wherein said outer wall is generally oval in plan form. 
     
     
       11. A lawn mower as defined in claim 1 wherein said annular walls are concentric. 
     
     
       12. A lawn mower as defined in claim 1 wherein shutter means is provided to close said deck opening when said collector is not in place. 
     
     
       13. A lawn mower as defined in claim 1 wherein said rotary blade is propelled by an electric motor, and wherein electrical interlock means are provided to inactivate said motor when said collector is not in place. 
     
     
       14. A lawn mower as defined in claim 13 wherein said interlock means includes manual switching means which must be engaged before said motor is rendered operative.